


spin hope from the threads of despair

by lovemarket



Series: Dream Titans [2]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Boarding School, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Gun Violence, M/M, Minor Character Death, Secret Identity, Superheroes, Vigilantism, Young Justice - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2019-12-29
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:08:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22014607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovemarket/pseuds/lovemarket
Summary: “I want answers!” Mark yells at the sky, his voice is completely shot and cracking around the edges. He falls to his knees on the forest floor. Mark lets his head fall into his hands as he cries. He can feel Jeno’s presence behind him but the younger doesn’t do anything except watch.“Pl-please.”
Relationships: Huang Ren Jun/Mark Lee, past Mark Lee/Wong Yukhei | Lucas, side Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Lee Jeno
Series: Dream Titans [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1397005
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	spin hope from the threads of despair

**Author's Note:**

> takes place in a different universe than the fic preceding this one in the series.
> 
> CW/TW for gun violence. it starts at “The news anchor" and ends at “I'm not a kid anymore" if you want/need to skip over it.

> **_THE FOREST_ **
> 
> **_CLOSE TO SUNDOWN_ **

  
  


A pair of men run through the forest in broad daylight, heavy breathing fills the otherwise quiet space, feet pounding against the floor as they travel.

“Ji-Jinhyuk,” One of them breathes out, slowing his run into a jog. “Wait a second!” He huffs, trailing behind his partner in crime. Jinhyuk keeps running. “Keep up, Yunho! We need to go further, just in case!” He insists between breaths, picking up the pace.

They run like this for another five minutes. Finally they stopped at a tree, gulping in air as they catch their breaths. “D’ya hear that?” Jinhyuk asks, looking around. There’s no sound but their breaths. “Hear _what_?” Yunho spits out, turning to the man.

Jinhyuk smiles at him. “Nothing. That’s it! There’s no one, so we’re safe!” Yunho rolls his eyes, shoving Jinhyuk’s shoulder. “We’re not safe yet, man. You dropped the fuckin’ tape when we were runnin’ from cops, you bozo. Our voices is on that tape, you know! We have to go to a new state, change our names, dye our hair so no one recognizes us…” The list goes on, they both know.

They continue on their newfound journey as escaped criminals through the woods. “We dodged the fuckin’ cops man!” Jinhyuk exclaims. Yunho’s hand suddenly on his chest stops him in his tracks.

“What’s _that_ , Jinhyuk?” Yunho asked, though neither of them know. It’s an arrow, stuck in the tree with a paper as well. Yunho pulled both out and unfolds the paper. “Wassit say? How long’s it been there?” Jinhyuk asks, glancing over Yunho’s shoulder.

The man is silent for a second. “‘About ten seconds longer than the _next one_?” Yunho reads out, looking up at Jinhyuk with the most confused face. “Huh? What the fuck do you mean by ‘the next one’?” Jinhyuk repeats. Yunho stands, an exaggerated shrug coming from his shoulders. “I dunno, it said it on this—”

He gets interrupted by an arrow identical to the first piercing the paper onto the tree behind them.

“...Note.” Yunho and Jinhyuk look at each other for a moment before screaming out of pure fear. 

Mark is in the tree above them, arrow cocked. Their screams feel like music to his ears in a way that they shouldn’t. It should make him come back to Earth and realize what he’s doing but it doesn’t. Mark narrows his eyes at them in pure rage. He sees them clearer than he sees anything when he’s got his glasses on.

They pull out their guns and attempt to shoot at him, but Mark is smarter than that, smarter than them. The men below him haven’t spotted him yet, resulting in them wasting ammo. It’s all part of Mark’s plan, his plan for vengeance. 

Mark stays perched in his spot, a sadistic smirk on his lips as the men persist he steps out of the shadows. 

“Whoever you are, we got more _bullets_ than you got arrows! So just get! Before we hurt you too!” Yunho shouts. “Yeah! Just _get_!” Jinhyuk repeats. They look around wildly, searching to no avail. “We musta got ‘im just now,” Yunho sighs.”

_Yeah, you must have_ , Mark thinks, letting his arrow fly. A loud _thwok!_ noise reverbs in the otherwise empty forest, the arrow landing in the tree just under one of the man’s crotches. _That_ makes them scatter but it wasn’t Mark’s intention. When they clear the area, he hops down from his perch in the tree, retrieving his arrows.

“ _‘More bullets than arrows’_ , ha!” He speaks to himself as he follows their footprints, still in a red hot fury, though not just from the recent events. He thinks about his mother as he walks, annoyed about that as well. “ _‘Make more than one costume, honey’_ ,” Mark imitates in his best high pitched tone. “ _'_ _Keep it handy, just in case! The action figures need more variety.’_ Oh, yeah,” He scoffs. “Mother knows best, huh?”

Mark begged his mother to enroll him in a boarding school, Horace Mann Academy. He _needed_ a break that wasn’t with the team. He needed to be on his own, needed distance from his overbearing mother. She didn’t care about him, only about the money he made her as a child star. She capitalized off of his success and ran with it at the expense of his well being. Well? Mark had enough.

As Mark continues forward, his mind goes back.

> **_HORACE MANN ACADEMY_ **
> 
> **_SPRING DANCE, EARLIER IN THE DAY_ **

  
  


The dance is way under effect, a bunch of students and their friends from outside schools swaying and screaming to the music in the gym. Mark stands to the side at the refreshments table with Jeno next to him. He doesn’t seem too happy and relaxed as the other kids. “I dunno, Jen,” He’s biting his lip. “Maybe we shouldn’t have come today. I mean, Jaemin is missing! We need to be—”

“ _Mark_ ,” Jeno interrupts him, a comforting hand on his shoulder. “You’ve been looking forward to this dance since it was announced. Besides, Yukhei said to let it go. He’s tracking some leads with… _you know_ ,” His voice lowers at that. _Batman_.

Jeno is about to say more but Mark points out their friend. “Hey, look. Hyuck made it.”

The younger turns to find Donghyuck in civvies, the biggest smile on his face. He’s wearing the most ridiculous outfit. When Mark said to be _lowkey_ and _undercover_ , he really didn’t expect him to take it seriously.

Mark pushes himself off the wall and grabs Jeno’s hand to walk over. “Listen, Hyuck is probably going to ask you to dance so don’t rub it in my face or anything.” Jeno comments and Mark scoffs. No way in any universe would Mark dance with Donghyuck _romantically_. “Don’t sell yourself short, Jen. He likes you way more than you think.” He teases, pushing him forward a little when they approach.

“How lowkey do I look?” Donghyuck asks, striking an embarrassing pose. Mark rolls his eyes and Jeno snickers. “ _Very_ ,” Mark stifles a laugh.

“Well, that’s a job accomplished! So,” Donghyuck trails off, glancing at Jeno. “Wanna dance?”

  
Jeno freezes up, causing Mark to elbow his side. “I think Donghyuck just asked you to dance, Jen.” He repeats. “Y-you did? You did! I would love to.” Jeno blurts. Donghyuck takes his hand and drags him onto the dance floor (which is really just in the middle of the gym), leaving Mark to his own devices.

“Would you like to dance?” Mark asks Renjun when he walks up to him, trying his best to make sure the blush creeping up on his face isn’t noticeable. Only a boarding school would have a dance in the middle of the day.

Renjun smiles, “Hell yeah!” They’re about to walk into the crowd to join Donghyuck and Jeno when Renjun’s phone rings. He pulls it out of his pocket and the Caller ID makes him frown. “I have to take this.” He apologizes. Mark waves him off. “It’s okay! Go ahead.”

Mark does the same a lot, when they’re hanging out and the Team gets a mission from Red Tornado. Renjun demanded why Mark leaves class and their alone time so much one day that Mark gave in and confessed that he’s secretly a superhero and forced Renjun to never tell a soul. Renjun agreed and then, that was the end of that. Recently Renjun has been having some family problems so Mark knows it’s nothing to get annoyed about, when the younger has to leave unexpectedly.

Mark finds his favorite faculty member, the guidance counselor, standing by the punch bowl. “That was very cute, Mark,” She comments, referring to the whole Jeno and Donghyuck thing. “For a secret superhero, you’re considerate.”

Mark isn’t sure if that’s supposed to be a dig or not, since even _he_ knows how big of an asshole he can actually be sometimes, whether he means it or not. “Thanks, Wendy. For a school therapist, you’re not so bad yourself.” He retorts, glancing at her to make sure she doesn’t take offense. He’s been finding himself in her office more often than not these days, allowing them to get closer and have a conversation with banter like this.

She chuckles and Mark smiles but it soon falls. “Hey… Ms. Son, didn’t you have an engagement ring last week?” He notices her ring finger empty when she had just been showing off her rock to everyone in close proximity that cared to listen.

Wendy sighs. “Well, about that… The both of us rushed into it. I didn’t really even _know_ the guy,” She shakes her head, a laugh filled with disbelief tumbling from her lips. Mark notices that the older woman takes the opportunity as the mood they have is a bit somber. “You know, Mark… Your mother called the other day. Wanted to know how you’re doing.”

Mark rolls his eyes. “Yeah? What does she care about me other than my money-making abilities, Ms. Son?”

Wendy’s lips become pursed together for a moment. “Yes, there’s still a lot of… character development for her to go through but you know, I’ve got a friend of mine seeing her and I think you should at least _talk_. I can set up an appointment for you—”

A sudden burst of anger washes over Mark and he turns around to face the older woman, a tight lipped smile on his mouth. “Please,” He pleads. “Give me a break, alright? I just want to have a little bit of fun for once.”

> **_AFTER THE DANCE_ **
> 
> **_MS. SON’s OFFICE_ **

  
  


Mark’s got an appointment with Ms. Son and he’s on his way when there’s muffled shouting. It gets louder as he approaches and he soon realizes it’s coming from Ms. Son’s office. 

“... _stupid_! You think I’m stupid?” A man’s voice asks, full of rage and a hint of disbelief. “ _No_ , Jinhyuk. _I_ was the stupid one, okay? Not you, me! We’re… it’ll never work out romantically. We can still be friends.” Ms. Son insists. Mark doesn’t even need to put his ear up to the door to eavesdrop.

“No, we can’t!” The door flies open, almost hitting Mark in his face. The man pushes Mark out of his way. “ _Move it_ , kid.” He storms down the hall and the only thing Mark can do is watch before peeking his head into Ms. Son’s office. She’s holding a tissue to her eyes, stifling sobs.

“I know we have an appointment right now, Mark, but this isn’t a good time.” 

Mark smiles sympathetically. “This is the _perfect_ time.” He walks up to her, retrieving a small makeup bag from the crevices of his bookbag. He needs it when there’s bruises from outings with the team or an infuriating pimple.

As Mark hands her a makeup wipe, he leans in a little closer, so that only she can hear. “That creep isn’t worth your time.” Ms. Son shakes her head. “I know, Mark. I swear… If he had a gun, I think he’d have _shot_ me for breaking off the engagement.” There’s a momentary silence.

“You know, this is why I’m for gun control,” Ms. Son starts and Mark isn’t sure what this has to do with anything but he lets her continue. “I _worry_ a lot about you, Mark. You’ve got so many unresolved and underlying issues that you cover up with a cheerleader attitude and pent up rage and anger that shouldn’t be used as a weapon. Gosh, if anything ever happened to you, Mark… I don’t know what I’d do with myself.”

Mark smiles. “You don’t have to worry about me, Ms. Son. _I’m_ supposed to be the hero, not you. I’ve got this covered, okay?”

* * *

Mark hops out of the SuperCycle, back in his school uniform from an outing with the team. _When duty calls_ , Mark thinks offhandedly, waving goodbye to Yukhei and Jeno in costume before they head back to Mount Justice. He puts a pep in his step, not wanting to be late. He’d rescheduled his meeting with Ms. Son to go on a short mission with the Team but this is a therapy session he _really_ needs and Mark doesn’t want her to cancel it if he ends up being late.

“Have a good day at school, Mark! Learn some stuff,” Yukhei jokes and Mark scoffs. “Yeah, the only thing I’m learning is how _boring_ school is.”

As he approaches, the driveway is full of police cars and their are officers surrounding the perimeter. He wonders what in the world happened while he was gone. There’s a news van reporting a crime and Mark hovers near to hear the backstory. 

The news anchor talks about a shooting, students scared out of their minds to have to do a lockdown for real, not as a drill. Two armed men that escaped into the woods. 

Mark thinks he’s going to feel sick. There shouldn’t be reporters and police at his school, much less violence and… and… death. He thinks grimly as EMTs pull up a zipper on a body bag. He catches a glimpse at the face and he can’t believe what he’s seeing. “M-Ms. Son?” He whispers to himself. He doesn’t believe it.

Mark finds a way into the school without getting noticed and begins his investigation to figure out what happened. The first place he goes is Ms. Son’s office. There’s a scream, identical to her voice but Mark isn’t sure how. The door to her office is wide open and there are police inside the comforting room, watching a video on her computer.

“Jesus, poor woman,” one of them comments. “That man just _shot_ her like that, straight in the leg!” “Wait,” The other one stops. “Where did this video come from again? I need it for the files.” 

“Oh, one of the perps dropped it as they fled the scene. Probably made it for himself so he could watch her _begging for her life_ anytime he felt like it… Sicko.”

The video continues and Mark wants to look away but he can’t. He needs the full story.

“There… Now that he’s shot her in the leg and goes through some spiel, he shoots her, right through the heart.” The cop from before narrates. Even though he’d heard the cop say it, Mark wasn’t ready to actually see it. Someone he recently met became so near and dear to him so quickly and to have her taken away from him? And to see how it happened too?

Mark screams, the video replaying in his head, even as the police turn around and nag at him for being on the crime scene. “Hey! Kid, what the hell are you—”

Mark runs away, out of the school, runs as far as legs can take him. _No_ … He thinks. _I’m_ _not a kid anymore_.

> **_NOW, IN THE WOODS_ **

  
  


Mark’s got one of them and he ties them against the tree, double— triple checking that the knots are tight enough. The man’s head shoots up. “W-who are you?” He demands. Mark spits in his face. “Doesn’t matter,” He answers, dropping the rope now that he’s done. “You better hope I don’t come back and finish this goddamn job.”

Mark turns and follows the other man, the one he _knows_ killed Ms. Son. He finds the man in an open space and Mark takes refuge in a tree, high up and out of sight in case the man pulls his gun out again, which he does at the slightest noise, shooting carelessly.

“Stop hiding, little boy!” The man shouts, waving his gun, shooting aimlessly. “This isn’t a fair game!”

Mark laughs, honest to god, laughs like there’s something funny. “Fair?” He asks, rhetorically. “How about that one saying: ‘What goes around, comes around’? That’s _fair_ , right?” 

He sends two arrows to each of the man’s thighs, relishing in the sound of his screams of pain. 

Mark drops down from the tree, an arrow cocked in his bow. He hums. “You shot Wendy Son in one leg, then the other. Then the… What was it again?” He asks, agonizingly slowly. The man cries out, “No! No, please! _Please_!” He pleads but it goes in one ear and out the other. Mark is set on revenge and he’s going to get it.

“Oh.” Mark’s voice suddenly goes cold, sends a shiver down the man’s spine. “That’s right. She begged and then you shot her in her _heart_ . Every time you beg me to spare your life, it makes me think of Wendy. You dig a deeper grave.” Mark shakes his head. “I could bury you here right now and _no one_ would _ever_ know. I could get away with it, _all of it_ . And maybe then, Wendy’s screams of pain, her last breath would stop replaying in my head. Because Wendy _deserved_ to live… She was begging, _just like you_ !” Mark shouts, pulling his arrow back further. “And you? _You don’t_!”

The arrow flies but is gone from it’s line of trajectory and suddenly, Jeno’s standing to the far left of him in costume. Jeno looks at Mark. Mark looks back at him, blank faced.

“Sometimes a pitcher will throw a baseball and the _instant_ it’s out of his hands, he knows it was a terrible throw. Once he hears the crack of the bat, the pitcher’ll do _anything_ to have his ball back. So,” Jeno holds out the arrow to Mark. “We’re gonna pretend that was a pitch that got away. Next throw? Up to you, Red Arrow.”

Mark stares at him for a second and turns around, stomping away. His hand is gripping the handle on his bow so tight it just might snap in half, his other fist balled up just as tight. There’s a clearing as he continues on and Mark stands in the middle. He feels the tears burn at the corners of his eyes and he lets them fall. He shakes with sobs, his lip trembling as he screams to no one.

“I want answers!” Mark yells at the sky, his voice is completely shot and cracking around the edges. He falls to his knees on the forest floor. Mark lets his head fall into his hands as he cries. He can feel Jeno’s presence behind him but the younger doesn’t do anything except watch.

“ _Pl-please_.”

> **_LATER_ **
> 
> **_AT DONGHYUCK’S HOUSE_ **

  
  


Mark is staring into space, lying in a fetal position in the middle of Donghyuck’s bed. He doesn’t know how long he’s been here but he knows that Jeno had scooped him up in his arms in the forest and asked where he wanted to go, then flew him here.

Jeno waves a hand in front of Mark’s face. “C’mon, Mark.” He glances up at Donghyuck who’s sitting behind Mark with a frown on his face, teeth chewing his bottom lip with intense worry. “This is _so_ not good, Hyuckie.”

Donghyuck’s mother shouts his name from the bottom of the stairs, interrupting whatever Jeno was about to say. “Oh, gods,” He jumps up. “We _can’t_ let her know Mark is here.”

He can hear his mother walking up the stairs. He turns and looks at Jeno frantically. Neither of them know what to do. “Hyuck, is Mark up there?” She asks and the tone of her voice almost makes Donghyuck shake in his own skin the way it does when Seulgi is mad at him. 

“ _No_ , mother. I’m studying! You know how I get when you keep bothering me while studying!” He yells back, pointing to Mark, then the ceiling, hoping Jeno will get the hint.

A pounding on Donghyuck’s bedroom door makes them freeze momentarily. “Lee Donghyuck, open this door, right now!” She demands. Donghyuck lets the door open a little crack, only poking out the side of his face. “Listen, Mom,” he begins, voice dripping honey. “I’ve got _the_ biggest exam on World War II tomorrow and I don’t know about you but if I can’t write a thematic essay on Hitler than I’m screwed!”

His mother does not seem to be swayed. “Watch your mouth and open the door, _now_ , Donghyuck.”

He sighs and opens the door all the way. Jeno and Mark are on the ceiling, thanks to Jeno’s tactile telekinesis. Donghyuck’s mom looks around the room and when she doesn’t find what she’s looking for, she backs off. “Happy now?” Donghyuck asks, crossing his arms on his chest.

His mother shoots him a look, bringing the house phone back to her ear. “Mark’s mother is on the phone and is in a frenzy looking for him,” She says offhandedly before returning to the conversation. “No, I looked around the room, he’s not here, honey.” His mother continues his conversation with Mark’s. 

Mark’s mother is talking so loud that the phone doesn’t need to be put on speaker for others to hear it. “ _Okay, well, you know those two schedule breathing together, they're practically joined at the hip these days! Look under his bed, fuck if I know—_ ”

Donghyuck’s mother pinches her nose. “If Donghyuck says that Mark isn’t here, then he _isn’t_ here, okay? If he turns up, I’ll call you, yes.” She presses the end call button and sighs, her hands finding their way to her hips in exasperation. “That woman is a trip, I tell you.” Donghyuck’s mother comments. Donghyuck agrees silently.

She pulls him into an unexpected hug that Donghyuck is too shocked to return. “What’s this for?” He asks, uncomfortably. His mom looks at him for a long moment and suddenly Donghyuck’s cheeks feel warm. “I’m your mother, Duckie. Why do I need a reason to hug you?”

Donghyuck looks away and she presses a kiss to the crown of his head. “Study hard, baby.” She closes the door behind her and when her footsteps fade, Jeno comes down from his hiding place with Mark in his arms.

He’s smiling at Donghyuck, “Aww.” He cooed and Donghyuck shoves his shoulder lightly. “Shut up,” He looks away, embarrassed. “We need to do something with him,” Donghyuck throws his arm in the direction of Mark who’s returned to the confines of Donghyuck’s bed.

“I-I dunno, how about the mall?” Jeno suggests. Neither of them have any better ideas so they sneak out of Donghyuck’s window after changing Mark into civvies from Donghyuck’s closet. They claim a table for themselves in the food court but Mark doesn’t eat the fries Donghyuck brings to the table or even touch the watermelon smoothie Jeno had bought for him. Just has the same far away look in his eyes from before.

Donghyuck sits next to Mark, a comforting hand rubbing up and down his back as he slumps onto the table. “This therapist meant a lot to him, Jen. They got so close recently and he shared _so much_ with her. To watch her get _killed_? Gosh…” Donghyuck frowns. “He needs to be in a somewhat regular setting.”

Jeno turns to Donghyuck. “Being Red Arrow _is_ a regular thing for Mark. He just had a bad day. Maybe we should just get a mission from Red Tornado and let him get back out there, do his thing, you know? With us around, of course.”

“Listen, we’re not like you, Jeno. We aren’t defined by the S on our chest, okay? All of that stuff comes _second_ in our lives.” Donghyuck points out, grabbing a fry for himself. Jeno looks a little offended and he scoffs. “I am _not_ defined by being Superboy.” He lowers his voice so that just the three of them can hear.

Donghyuck gives Jeno a skeptic look. “Oh yeah? I plan on studying architecture in college next year and Mark wants to do English but his dad wanted him to become a doctor, so he’s been thinking about it, since… you know, he’s not here anymore. What do _you_ want to do with your life, Jeno?” Donghyuck asks. The answer is almost instant and it proves Donghyuck’s point.

“Become Superman. But that’s not the— oh my God, look!” Jeno points to Mark, who’d moved to grab a fry while they were talking. They turn their attention to him.

“I have to become a supervillain.” Mark mutters, just loud enough for them to hear.

“What.” Donghyuck and Jeno blurt out simultaneously.

“Guys… I tried to _kill_ someone.” Mark gasps. “I let the arrow _go_. A hero doesn’t try to kill a man begging for his life. I’m a villain.”

Mark is so serious that Donghyuck and Jeno glance at each other with the same type of fear in their eyes. “You’re not a villain, Mark. C’mon,” Donghyuck starts. “I am!” Mark interrupts him. “I’m going to lose all my friends because you’ll all hate me. Renjun will hate me. I’ll have to make a new skimpy, all black costume with-with _leather pants that show off my thighs and_ —”

Jeno bursts into laughter, interrupting Mark and Donghyuck shoots a glare at him. “Stop. _Stop_ laughing, Jeno.” He hisses. There’s a momentary silence until a giggle tumbles from Donghyuck’s lips and suddenly he’s laughing along with Jeno and it makes Mark feel worse. Now they’re laughing at him! His problem is _serious_.

“ _Ha, ha_ ,” Mark groans and his friends laughter stops, their attention turning back to him. Donghyuck opens his mouth to say something but he gets interrupted from a security guard. He’s shouting for help, chasing after a man who’s most likely just stolen from one of the stores around. “Don’t let him get to the elevator!” The security guard repeats.

Everyone is distracted and Mark takes the opportunity to slip away. If all Jeno and Donghyuck are going to do includes making fun of him, then why is he even here? Mark turns the corner and bumps into the same security guard. The man gave him a stern look. “Why didn’t you do something? All you had to do was trip the guy so he wouldn’t make it to the elevator!” He nags and Mark gives back the same nasty look.

“ _You’re_ the security guard. This isn’t my job,” Mark retorts. It’s true. Has he even ever really wanted to become a hero? Has his mother been planting her want to vicariously live a double life through her son his entire life?

The security guard scoffs. “Oh, yeah? Well, let’s just hope that thief doesn’t do anything _worse_ , like killing someone’s mother or something.” The security guard walks away. Mark thinks he wouldn’t mind if his mom wasn’t around anymore. Then he thinks of his father and the funeral. A split-second image of Donghyuck crying over his mother’s body. Mark frowns. _Nevermind_.

Mark huffs and pulls off the jacket Donghyuck had given him, using it as a protection for his hands as he uses a column to slide down to the first floor before the elevator got there. Everyone in the mall stops and watches, including Donghyuck and Jeno. “Mark!” Jeno shouts, giving him a look that says ‘what the hell are you doing?’ Mark ignores it and stands in front of the elevator, waiting for the thief to step out.

The man runs out of the elevator, probably thinking he’s home free. Mark sends a swift kick to the man’s stomach and he doubles over in pain. Mark grabs his arms and puts his wrists behind his back, waiting for the security to come and take him to wherever. The entirety of the mall erupts into cheers but it makes Mark feel uneasy. He did a good thing, he’s used to doing this kind of thing but now he’s not so sure if he wants to be.

Donghyuck and Jeno jog over to him once the thief is taken into custody. “Looks like your famous, Mark.” Jeno nudges his side. “Glad to see your back to normal, Mark. Let’s go before people start taking pictures,” Donghyuck comments.

_Back to normal_ , Mark thinks. _Right_.

When they get back to Donghyuck’s house, slipping in through the window, Donghyuck’s mother is standing in the doorway. “Oh, Hera,” He groans at the sight of her. 

“Mark,” She says, her voice void of emotion. “I believe this is _yours_.” In her possession is indeed Mark’s bow and quiver full of arrows. He takes it from her, staring at it like he suddenly doesn’t know how to work it. It feels heavy in his hands.

“Not anymore. I quit.” Mark decides, handing the equipment back to Donghyuck’s mother.

The silence is even heavier than Mark’s heart feels. “We… I should go get my stuff from HQ.” 

“Right, yeah. Uh… We’ll be right back, Ma.” Donghyuck gives his mother a look and the three of them can tell she’s not happy they’re leaving for a _second_ time, especially after lying about earlier, but she lets them go.

As they fly there, Donghyuck calls Yukhei, tells him to get Dejun and head over. They meet up and the two seem confused until Donghyuck finally snaps.

“I don’t know what kind of joke this is, Mark, but you need to end it.” Donghyuck insists, following Mark into the locker room.

“Like, _okay_ , you almost killed that guy, but you _didn’t_! That’s gotta mean something!” 

Mark shakes his head, taking things and stuffing them in a spare bag that he’d left in his locker. “But I _tried_ to, Hyuck. Actions have consequences. I crossed a line that Batman wouldn’t even cross. An archer should have control but right now? I don’t have that.”

“What about the stuff that just happened in the mall? You caught that guy.” Donghyuck points out but that doesn’t matter to Mark. “ _And_ saw all those little kids wanting to be like me, imitating me. What if they get hurt?”

Donghyuck frowns. “Mark, you’re my best friend. If you leave, we can’t—”

“Be friends?” Mark interrupts him with a dubious look. “We’re only friends when we’re in these costumes, running all around the world beating up bad guys? You’re the one who told Jeno we’re not defined by the symbol on our costumes.”

Donghyuck scoffs, “ _Yeah_ , but… You’re twisting my words around, Mark.” He whines.

Mark pulls Donghyuck into a hug. “I hate you,” Donghyuck sniffles, hugging Mark so tight it hurts a little. Mark chuckles. “I know, Hyuck.”

They walk out into the common area, where there’s a somber mood but Mark assumes that should be expected.

“You can’t just _leave_!” Dejun cries, frown etched into his face. “We think we’ve finally found Jaemin! At least go on this mission on us, it could be like… you’re last one with us!”

“There’ll always be another mission, Dejun. Another reason for me to come back and fight with you guys but for now, I have to call it quits.” Mark hugs Dejun.

Jeno is standing by Yukhei, a small smile on his face. “You’ll be back. You can’t live without us.” He quips and Mark rolls his eyes. “Say something, Yukhei! Talk some sense into him, _please_.” Donghyuck begs.

Yukhei just bites his lip. “Sometimes this isn’t the life for people. We have to respect that guys,” Yukhei says, like a true leader. He turns to Mark. “Just don’t become a stranger.”

Mark smiles, “‘Course not, ‘Hei.” As his parting, he kisses Yukhei on the cheek, leaving the rest of their friends in shock. “Did he just—” Dejun asks. “I think so.” Jeno gapes. Donghyuck snorts, “This is old news.”

Yukhei laughs. “We’ll miss you, Mark.”

Mark leaves and suddenly, he feels like a ton of weight has been lifted off his shoulders but he still can’t shake the feeling that this is only temporary. He’ll be back. Not now, not tomorrow, but soon. And everything will be better. He's no longer Mark Lee, Red Arrow. For now, he'll just be Mark Lee, senior at Horace Mann Academy and that's all he needs to be.

**Author's Note:**

> A Term/Character Key if u need:
> 
> civvies — civilian clothes  
> renjun: empress / anita fite  
> mark: arrowette / cissie king jones, was referred to as RED ARROW. throughout the YOUNG JUSTICE 1998 and 2019 comics, cissie uses the ARROWETTE alias, then her civilian name after the events of issue 15 of the 1998 run.  
> yukhei: robin / tim drake  
> xiaojun-> impulse / bart allen, was referred to as KID FLASH. throughout the YOUNG JUSTICE 1998 and 2019 comics, bart uses the IMPULSE alias  
> jeno: superboy / kon-el  
> donghyuck: wonder girl / cassie sandsmark, was referred to as WONDER BOY. throughout the YOUNG JUSTICE 1998 and 2019 comics, cassie uses the WONDER GIRL alias.
> 
> (not so important, but KUN is batman & SEULGI is diana prince / wonder woman)
> 
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